A Vision For Roger Williams University - Jill Rodrigues, East Bay Rhode Island

A garrulous man with an easy smile, Donald J. Farish, the new president at Roger Williams University, speaks volumes about the state of higher education, rattling off statistics on the percentage of degrees earned by socioeconomic class and the level of unemployment in New England without consulting notes, and on how universities should respond and address the educational needs of all people. While RWU’s undergraduate tuition may not be within the reach of some people, Mr. Farish hopes to reach others, particularly the adult population, through expanding continuing education programs, working directly with business owners to provide employee training, and by offering online courses that cost less than a typical bricks-and-mortar education. These programs would provide some revenue apart from tuition that could be turned into scholarships. #“I want to see this area developed,” he said. “It’s really critically important because this country needs to put people back to work.”